Mutual Support
by JackieStarSister
Summary: Separate canon compliant oneshots, most of them written after having viewed a new episode. Featuring Team Avatar, Korra's parents, Jinora, Lin, Katara, and other characters who try to help each other out - even if it's just by offering comfort. *Cover art from the Avatar Wiki.*
1. Comparisons

_Written after watching Episodes 1 and 2, "Welcome to Republic City" and "A Leaf in the Wind."_

Traditionally, the Avatar was informed of their identity when they turned sixteen. This allowed the individual to master his or her own element and have a fairly normal childhood.

This only worked when the Avatar grew up unaware of their once-in-a-generation abilities. That was not the case for Korra, who discovered at the age of four that she could bend earth and fire as well as water.

When the White Lotus came and saw that she was already tapping into her powers, they had no choice but to expedite her training. An untrained bender could be an unsafe bender, especially if she was aggressive and eager to use her abilities. It would be safer for Korra, and for everyone who knew her, if she learned how to control her bending.

The White Lotus members were cautious and careful about Korra's upbringing, which they controlled just as much as her parents did (if not more so). They all were somewhat afraid of her. And maybe they were right to be. Fear is, in a way, a form of respect. They appreciated the magnitude of her powers. No one could deny her strength or skill. But they did worry about "the spiritual side" of being the Avatar.

They urged her to be patient, but they allowed her to embrace her powers and hone her talents. As long as she was allowed to do that, she was satisfied with her training. Korra put up with the White Lotus as much as they put up with her.

Katara was the only one of the White Lotus who understood Korra both as the Avatar and as a person.

They saw each other less often after Korra finished her waterbending training. When they occasionally talked to each other, Korra would tell her about her progress in bending, but Katara would then ask questions about her home life. Did she get along with her parents? She was interested in Naga, the polar bear-dog that was Korra's animal guide.

Korra had to stop and think when Katara asked, "What do you like to do in your free time?" Most of her time was consumed with bending; it was the thing she enjoyed the most. Besides that, she didn't have any pastimes that counted as hobbies. She had learned some things about how to survive in the South Pole: how to build a canoe, row, hunt, catch fish, make clothes and decorations.

"I like history, and listening to stories," Korra said finally. She finally eased into the topic of Avatar Aang – Katara's late husband, and Korra's previous incarnation. As it turned out, Katara wasn't shy about speaking of him; she'd already had years to move on from his death, and accept his presence in Korra. She enjoyed telling the girl of her friends' old adventures, some of which she hadn't thought of in years.

Korra was glad to know someone who had known the previous Avatar.

* * *

Katara counted herself very lucky to have lived long enough to meet the next Avatar.

Since the day Korra was born, Katara tried not to have any expectations for what she would be like as a person. She didn't hope that the girl would be like Aang. She knew the Avatar was different in each incarnation, and that they could have different personalities, values, and beliefs.

Korra was a little bit like Sokka, wanting to prove herself as a warrior. She was determined and had all the right intentions, though sometimes she ended up making a fool of herself; but when she did, she kept trying and eventually figured something out. Even Korra's unique hairstyle seemed like a cross between Sokka's "warrior's wolf tail" and Katara's "hair loopies."

Katara didn't like to compare Korra to Jet; but the fact was, they were both hot-headed and righteous. (Katara hoped that those qualities wouldn't get Korra into trouble in the future.) Zuko had been like that too, and Korra certainly had his drive and determination, and desire to find and fulfill one's own destiny.

It was inevitable that Korra would remind her of Aang, but it happened in a rather unexpected way. Aang had run away in an attempt to escape his Avatar duties; Korra tried to run away to embrace them. They were both, Katara supposed, free spirits; she had seen this when she saw Korra ride Naga.

Korra also reminded Katara of herself as a teenager. When she found the Avatar about to leave, she thought this must have been how her own grandmother, Kanna, had felt when she said good-bye to her and Sokka. She wouldn't try to stop the girl, because she understood the journey she had to take. She wished her luck and let her go.

Katara thought that Korra and Tenzin were more alike than either of them realized. They both showed part of the nature of their opposite element: Tenzin was more serious than most airbenders, and Korra was as aggressive and forceful as a firebender.

When Tenzin wrote to Katara and told her that Korra had snuck out to watch and participate in Pro-Bending, Katara laughed and cried a little too. She was just like Toph, sneaking out to fight in Earth Rumble VI.

She couldn't deny that she missed her old friends. They would be just as proud as she was of Avatar Korra.


	2. Farewells

_Takes place during Episode 1, "Welcome to Republic City". (This was posted as Chapter 8, but moved to keep the oneshots in chronological order.)_

Korra had never really had to say good-bye before.

When Tenzin and his family left the South Pole, she refused see them off. She felt too disappointed and bitter to be able to wish them well.

Katara was the first person with whom she ever bade an emotional farewell. She wasn't just Korra's teacher; she was her friend. And, Korra realized, she was probably the one who would most understand her reasons for leaving.

Katara was one of the few people she would miss. But she wasn't the only one. Korra realized that there were two others to whom she needed to say good-bye.

Once outside the compound, Korra rode Naga through the tundra, heading north until they reached the igloo. Her parents came out of the house, having heard Naga's growl. "Korra!"

She slid down from the saddle and ran up to hug them, the way she always had when she was younger. She remembered being so attached to her parents, a feeling that had faded as she grew older and focused on her training.

Her parents typically visited her every few weeks. Korra would show them the progress she was making – they were the only people she could actually show off to. She could remember a few times when they had visited on the occasion of an Aurora Australis; those were some of her best memories of being with her parents.

It was rarer for Korra to visit their small home. But she enjoyed those visits for all they were worth. Senna would make her special tea, and they would eat a meal together like a normal family. The house was small and cozy, designed for simply living, while the big compound had been built for bending.

Senna pulled away and held Korra at arm's length. "This is a nice surprise. I'm so glad you're here!"

Korra smiled, but her eyes were sad. "I'm sorry. I don't have much time."

Her parents' expressions changed when she said that. It reminded her of how Katara had looked sadly at Tenzin. _"You're not staying, are you?"_

Tonraq glanced at Naga, who was still standing, as though waiting to get going again. "The White Lotus aren't with you, are they?" He already knew the answer.

"No. Only Katara knows I'm gone." Korra shrugged. "I just couldn't leave without saying good-bye."

"Leave? And go where?" Senna asked, not understanding.

"Republic City, in the United Republic of Nations. Master Tenzin lives there. He couldn't stay here to teach me airbending. So I'm going to learn there."

"The city …" Tonraq trailed off, and Korra could guess what he was thinking. None of them had ever left the South Pole. They only heard about the rest of the world from the people they knew who had seen (or even helped build) such places. "Will you be all right, on your own?"

"I won't be alone. I'll have Naga with me for the journey, and Tenzin and his family in the city."

Senna and Tonraq exchanged sad, concerned glances. They thought they had gotten used to the idea that they had to let their daughter go, so she could become the Avatar she was meant to be. They had even allowed her to live away from home, for that reason. But having her live on another continent, indefinitely, wouldn't be easy for any of them.

Korra felt a little timid. "Are you mad?"

"No," Senna said quickly. "Just surprised. I wish you'd told us sooner."

"I just decided an hour ago," Korra said frankly. Then she added, "It's not forever. I'll come back – and when I do, I'll be an airbender." She didn't say _airbending master_ because she didn't know how long that element would take, and she didn't know how long it would be before she came back.

Senna nodded in acceptance. They had learned, long ago, that they couldn't stop Korra from gong after what she wanted. Korra put on a brave smile, trying to show her gratitude.

Tonraq spoke up, sounding apologetic as he said something he'd thought for a long time. "Korra … I'm sorry if we haven't always been there for you."

Korra blinked at him, looking concerned. "That's not true." Her parents had always been a presence (if not a constant) in her life. Senna had been there to help her through puberty, and showed her how to make armbands (the only real accessories Korra wore, mainly because they reminded her of her mother). When she turned fourteen, Tonraq had taken her ice-dodging (he had had a long argument with the White Lotus members about it, until Katara intervened and said she _should_ be able to have that rite of passage). They were the ones who had given her Naga when both child and polar-bear dog were very small. Tonraq had taught her how to train the animal, glad that she could have a companion even when her parents weren't there. They had done the important things that all parents were expected to do for their child.

Still, Korra felt some regret, knowing that she had spent more time with the White Lotus than with her parents. She had usually been too busy to miss them as they gradually distanced themselves from her; but now she wasn't going to see them again, probably for a very long time.

She wondered vaguely if they would have any more children, to fill any hole created by her own absence. She wouldn't be there to see them. And they wouldn't be with her to watch her finish adolescence and mature into adulthood.

"Come here," Senna said, opening her arms again. Korra went forward and hugged the woman; she felt Tonraq's hand on her back, supportive and strong. Maybe he was the one she had gotten her strength from.

"Mom. Dad." Korra gently pulled away, stepping back to look at them. "I'll miss you."

Senna's voice almost broke, speaking for both parents. "We love you so much." It was true, but when she spoke it sounded like it wasn't enough. There was so much left unsaid.

Korra didn't answer. She knew if she said the same thing, she would cry. She hadn't cried in years, and she didn't want to start again now.

Her parents were the only ones who had ever told her that she was loved.

Korra mounted Naga, and cast one last glance back at her mother, her father, and her home. As she steered Naga and turned her back on them, she was acutely aware that she was leaving her past behind, and going forward to meet the future.

She loved them for letting her go.


	3. Training

_Written after seeing Episode 2, "A Leaf in the Wind."_

Korra had been sitting in the lotus position, trying to stay as still as possible, for a good ten minutes. She inhaled through her nose, catching the musty but not unpleasant smell of the gymnasium. She exhaled through her mouth, trying to focus on the air passing through her lungs, heart, and blood. She tried to think about air, one of only two elements that could become part of the human body; but every other minute her mind was distracted by other thoughts. She only had a good excuse to stop when she heard two other people enter the room.

"… What are you doing?" Mako asked, already sounding skeptical.

Korra turned, resting her arm on her knee and leaning back on her other arm. "What I'm _trying_ to do is meditate. It's part of my airbending training."

"Are you having trouble?" Bolin asked.

"It's the only element that hasn't come easily to me." She shrugged and gestured around the room. "Thought a new environment might help. My mind feels more relaxed and focused here than at the Air Temple."

"Hey, think we could watch you train sometime?"

Korra's eyes lit up. "Sure," she said automatically, before really thinking about it. Then she thought, she didn't want to look like an idiot in front of these guys. Bolin would laugh, and Mako would criticize her. And then, if they saw her do badly, it might damage any confidence they had in her for the Pro-Bending championship.

Hearing the suggestion, Mako made a face at Bolin. "What?" Bolin asked innocently. "Air Temple Island is, like, the only part of Republic City we've never been to. And airbending's the only kind of bending I haven't seen."

Korra got to her feet. She had already said yes, and she did like spending time with the boys, so she might as well. "Tenzin already knows who you are; I'm sure his family would love to meet you."

* * *

"Are all these people airbenders?" Mako inquired, glancing back at the people dressed in Air Nomad robes. "Somehow I thought there were fewer." It was common knowledge that a generation ago there had been only one airbender alive, and though he had had descendents, the Air Nomad population was still very small.

"No, many are Air Acolytes," Korra explained, leading them down the walkway. "They're not benders, but they adopted the Air Nomad lifestyle."

"So how long have you been learning airbending?" Bolin asked conversationally.

"… I just started, really. I haven't actually been able to bend it; I'm just learning the basics, I guess."

They had reached the training area with the airbending gates, where Tenzin and Jinora were waiting for them; Pema had already put Ikki and Meelo to bed after introducing them to the boys.

"This is the level I'm at now," Korra said, gesturing to the contraption. "Tenzin, could you …?"

"Of course." The boys watched as Tenzin braced himself in a stance, sucked in a breath, and then blew out a gale of wind, sending the boards spinning.

"'Kay, now I see why you're having trouble," Bolin said, looking intimidated himself.

"Yeah," Korra said. "I'm getting better though. In my first match, I had to avoid the other team's attacks, and it reminded me of this."

"_That's_ how you dodged them," Bolin deduced. She had said that she learned those moves from someone else.

"Smart," Mako acknowledged.

"Thank you," Korra said politely.

Jinora fueled the gates with another wind, and then turned to Korra with a smile. "Good luck."

The others moved around the circumference of the ring, trying to keep their sight on Korra.

She made it almost halfway through before she bumped into the panels, which pushed her into others. Mako cringed, hearing her grunts of pain.

Tenzin slowed the spinning panels, and a moment later Korra emerged where she had started. "I'm still working on that," she panted, in lieu of an explanation.

"You got halfway," Bolin said encouragingly. "That's better than I would have done."

Korra sat down dejectedly on the edge of the ring. "It took me years to master each of the other elements. At this rate, it'll take me decades to master air."

"Come on, give it another go," Bolin cajoled.

"I saw what you did in the Pro-Bending Ring," Mako said, candid and pointed. "If you could do it then, you can do it now."

Korra blinked at him, and then smiled, pleasantly surprised to hear some encouragement from him. She stood up. "All right; I'll try it again."

Tenzin smiled approvingly. Jinora waved her arms gracefully, sending a gust of wind through the panels. Korra took a deep breath, and then slipped into the gates.

She kept moving, slowly but steadily. She imagined that the gates were earth or some other projectile element. Instead of following her instinct to fight back, she carefully dodged and spun to avoid the moving obstacles. She moved with the fluidity of a waterbender, gradually making her way through. At the end, she leapt and spun in the air before landing on the ground.

"You did it!" Jinora cheered.

Korra let out an incredulous laugh. "I did it!" She pumped her fist in the air.

"Awesome!" Bolin slapped her on the back.

"Not bad," was Mako's cool assessment.

"Come on," Korra said, poking his arm. "Admit it, I was pretty good."

Mako smiled reluctantly; Korra counted this as the second time she saw him smile – the second time she had made him smile.


	4. Coming Home

_Written after seeing Episode 3: "The Revelation."_

Korra hadn't been to the brothers' apartment before, but she barely thought about that when Naga brought her and her friends to the safe haven. Bolin groaned as he flopped backwards onto the couch.

"Are you really okay?" Korra asked, sinking down to sit on the wooden floor.

"Reeling. Tired. Hungry." Bolin unwrapped the dumplings that Mako had bought the day before. "How long was I gone?"

"Over twenty-four hours," Mako answered, folding his arms and leaning back against the wall. "I came home from working at the factory, and you weren't here. I thought you might be visiting Korra. Then we spent the whole night searching for you; we found out about the Revelation during the day; and it took place just this evening."

Korra buried her face in her hands. At first the boys thought she was just tired, like them; but then she stayed in that despairing position. "What's wrong?" Bolin asked.

"What do you think?" she muttered through her fingers. Then she let her hands drop in her lap and looked at the brothers. "How am I going to tell Tenzin and the others about this? He and his family are the only airbenders in the world, and most of them are just kids." She didn't say what she really meant: if all benders were at risk, would they be in danger too?

"Are there really that many people who hate benders?" she asked.

"Is that rhetorical?" Bolin asked, raising an eyebrow. "You saw them tonight."

"Maybe not," Mako said, looking deep in thought. Korra and Bolin looked at him in surprise. "_We_ were there tonight. Maybe some of the crowd were like us – people, maybe even benders, who are just curious or want to know what's going on."

"Yeah, maybe one bender-sympathizer for every ten or twenty Equalists," Korra said gloomily.

"But even if I'm right, they didn't do anything to stop Amon, because they're scared of him."

"Heck, _I'm_ scared of him," Bolin said.

Mako spoke slowly. "Korra, he mentioned you in his speech, what you would do if you were there … maybe he knew. Maybe he _wanted_ you there. You're a kind of celebrity; he knows you'll tell the authorities and the public about him, and that'll inspire more fear."

Korra leaned back on her hands. "I feel like I've been trapped in a bubble."

"Or an iceberg," Bolin joked, flashing a brief half-smile.

"This is so much more than I bargained for."

"Welcome to Republic City," Mako said ruefully.

"Hey." Bolin spoke up, sounding hesitant. "Er … do you still want to be in the Fire Ferrets?"

Korra blinked at him. "What? Of course I do." She frowned. "Unless – you think it would be safer for you guys if I didn't – I'd understand –"

"No!" For once the brothers were in agreement about something. Mako and Bolin exchanged glances.

"Well, all right then. We'll keep training. And don't worry about the money – we'll think of something." Now, raising 30,000 yuans seemed easier than taking on whatever threat was growing in the shadows of Republic City.

"Great." Bolin smiled. Korra wondered about his ability to smile so easily; Mako felt a little jealous of it.

Korra stood up slowly. "I should get back to the island. I've been gone way too long." She hoped that she wouldn't be grounded because of this.

"Thanks for saving me," Bolin said respectfully.

"Will you be okay getting home?" Mako asked. He thought maybe he and Bolin should go with her, but it would be too expensive for the two of them to make a round trip on the ferry, and they were already exhausted.

"I think Naga and I can manage." She gave a halfhearted wave, and headed down the stairs.

"Hey, Korra." She turned and saw Mako walk up to her.

"What's up?"

"Just … thanks for helping me find Bolin."

"You're welcome." She smiled for the first time that evening.

She wasn't happy about having to rescue her friends. But it did feel good to have friends that she could rescue.


	5. Reactions

_Takes place during Episode 4, "The Voice in the Night."_

Bolin bended some earthen discs into the air. Then he glanced over at Mako, who sat on a pile of mats reading a newspaper. "No Korra for practice again?"

Mako folded up the newspaper. "Doesn't look like it," he said shortly.

Bolin dropped the weights in frustration. He felt like both of his teammates were letting him – no, the team – down. Korra was preoccupied with the task force, and even Mako was distracted by his pending relationship with Asami.

Bolin had always enjoyed Pro-Bending, and he would have come to practice anyway; but lately Korra was what made practice fun for him.

"She joined the Fire Ferrets _before_ the task force," Bolin insisted. "She can't bail on us during the tournament."

"If you have some perspective, fighting the Equalists is a bit higher a priority than training for a championship. Not that it isn't important, but, you know."

Bolin briefly wondered whether Mako would say such a thing if Asami and her father hadn't solved their financial problem. Really, Pro-Bending was just as important to Mako was it was to Bolin.

"I hate that Tarrlok guy," Bolin said bluntly, sending a disk crashing into the net. "He pressured her into joining something she didn't want to be involved with. He set her up, having a gala with all those reporters." Bolin turned to look at his brother. "We were with her at the 'Revelation'. She could have told them about me, and taken some of the attention off of herself."

Mako grunted. "You want a press conference? Help us win the championship; then all three of us will be celebrities." He paused. "Besides, she couldn't tell them that she only infiltrated the rally to save her personal friend. That would seem selfish. She has a reputation; people are going to look to her to be their hero.

"Besides," Mako continued, "if she introduced you, it would have led to awkward questions. Like, why were you with the Triple Threats that night?"

Bolin didn't answer. At the gala, they had subtly avoided Chief Bei Fong, whom they had encountered in the past while running numbers for the Triple Threat Triad. It had irked Bolin when he heard her tell Korra, "You've done nothing to deserve this." The woman didn't know what she was talking about. Korra had left her home – her family – to come help Republic City; she had saved his bending, and possibly his life. Not to mention, she was the reason that the police and the White Lotus knew about Amon's power.

Mako watched as Bolin shot one disk after another into the net. "Is something else bothering you?" he asked suddenly.

Bolin hesitated. "I can't explain it right … You'll think I'm crazy."

"Spill."

Bolin ran a hand through his sweaty hair. "What if we're wrong? What if Amon had a point?"

Mako looked at him incredulously. Bolin rushed to explain. "I can understand, to an extent, his vendetta against benders. If my face had been blown off by a firebender – I think I would be prejudiced, too."

"Maybe. But Amon is too extreme. It's one thing to take bending from Fire Lord Ozai or Lightning Bolt Zolt, they were dangerous criminals; but it's pointless to take it away from innocent people."

"That's just it. He raided the Triple Threat Triad headquarters. They were looking for criminals, not benders walking down the street."

"Well, no one would call the police if Zolt went missing," Mako answered, leaning back on his arms.

Bolin looked thoughtful; for a moment his brooding expression made him resemble his brother. Then he looked sideways at Mako. "Can I ask you something? If you weren't a firebender yourself, would you hate firebenders – you know, for what happened to Mom and Dad? His story's almost the same as ours."

Mako looked at him, and then bowed his head. "I don't know. Would you hate all benders, if neither of us could bend?"

"… I don't know."

Mako shrugged. "Maybe Amon just wants someone to hate."

"Or he seriously believes everything he's said."

* * *

Both Mako and Bolin felt restless, waiting – though neither would admit it – for the showdown that Korra was trying to have. Bolin paced up and down the room; Mako just sat on the window ledge, one arm resting on his knee, staring out at Avatar Aang Memorial on the other side of Yue Bay.

"Why hasn't he come?" Bolin said, almost growling.

"Simple. A direct confrontation isn't his style," Mako answered. "He operates in secret. Underground hideouts, sneak attacks, shroud of mystery – it's the _not knowing_ that's really scaring everyone."

"Should we be trying to help her? Or stop her?" Bolin said, grasping at straws.

"You know Korra. When she puts her mind to something, you can't stop her. And I doubt she'll want help from anyone."

"I don't know what she's thinking," Bolin said bluntly.

"I think she wants to face her fear instead of hiding from it," Mako said, tilting his head thoughtfully.

"It's not brave," Bolin exclaimed. "It's reckless, and –"

"Impulsive. I know. She's being full of herself, and she doesn't plan these things out." Mako remembered her eagerness to attack during her first Pro-Bending match, and rescue Bolin at the Revelation. It was no mere hero complex; she was aggressive, with an instinct to fight when confronted.

"She's fooling herself, saying she's not afraid of anything. I'm sure she wishes she wasn't. But I saw the look on her face at the Revelation – when Amon mentioned her, when he announced his power, when we saw you on the stage. She may be the Avatar, but she's still human, and she's scared."

They stayed up for a long while, mostly sitting in silence.

Bolin yawned. "I'm worried about her, too, but it looks like he's not coming, and staying up might not change that. You can wake me up if anything happens." He headed up the stairs to the bedroom.

Mako eventually fell asleep by the windowsill. It wasn't until later that day, when he was able to buy another newspaper, that they found out what had happened: Amon and a group of his followers _had_ shown up, and captured Korra, only to leave her behind. Korra, who this time had been unavailable for comment, was reportedly taking a leave of absence from the task force.

After reading the article thoroughly, Mako folded up the newspaper and slipped it between items on a shelf. "I'll never understand the way that guy's mind works," he said to Bolin, who had been reading over his shoulder.

"Should we go and see her?" Bolin asked.

Mako shook his head. "We have to practice." They went downstairs to the gymnasium, and were surprised to find it was not empty. Someone was waiting for them there.

Korra stood up when they entered. "Hey, guys." She held up her arm in a wave, smiling tentatively. It was the first time the boys had ever seen her acting shy or hesitant.

Bolin rushed over, looking ecstatic. "You're alive!" he exclaimed, stating the obvious. "And – you still have your bending?"

"Last I checked." Korra opened her palm, conjuring a small but steady flame. Then she extinguished it and dropped her hand to her side. "Look … I'm sorry I bailed on you guys this week."

"Hey, it's not a problem," Bolin said easily.

"It's good to have you back," Mako agreed.

Korra smiled, a real smile, for the first time in some days. "It's good to _be_ back."


	6. Observations

_Completed after watching Episode 6: "And the Winner Is …" Mentions events of Episodes 1-6._

Something changed when Korra came to live on Air Temple Island. Something shifted in the airbending family's dynamic.

Jinora could vaguely remember feeling this way when first Ikki and then Meelo were born. She had been an only child, in fact the only new airbender on the island. There had been a time when she was the only one who trained with her father. Until Ikki turned three and Tenzin focused on her until she was at the same level as Jinora, who by then was six years old. Airbending became a family activity, and Jinora never had one-on-one training again. Sibling rivalry had kicked in, though never to a great degree. As an airbender it wasn't in Jinora's nature to develop grudges. Still, she had felt jealous on some occasions.

Now Korra was the one who needed individual training. Tenzin did try to assimilate Korra into his own children's training sessions; he even let Jinora be the one to explain and demonstrate how to use the airbending gates. But they both knew she'd have to start at the beginning, which would mean going backwards for the other three airbenders, unless Tenzin trained Korra separately.

Jinora wasn't jealous now. Really, she wasn't. She understood that Korra was new to airbending, while Jinora had been doing it all her life. (She was actually superior to Korra in this way; she figured that made up for Korra's older age and access to the other three elements, making them relatively equal). Jinora knew how important it was for Korra to finish her Avatar training.

She secretly hoped that when that happened, Korra would be able to access and talk to her previous incarnations. Then Korra could tell her about her grandfather, Avatar Aang, who had died before any of Tenzin's children were born.

* * *

_Amon_. Jinora heard her parents speak the name in hushed, worried tones. She thought she had heard the name before; perhaps from the radio? But she didn't listen to it often, as Tenzin saw the device as a disturbance to Air Temple Island's peaceful atmosphere.

She found out who Amon was soon enough. She wasn't really interested in politics, but she heard people mention the name. Then Councilman Tarrlok of the Water Tribe came to ask for Korra's help in fighting him. Tenzin's entire family came to the gala, and heard Korra proclaim that she wasn't afraid, that she would fight the Equalists.

Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo viewed Korra as a kind of hero. The two younger children made Equalists part of their games, which were involving more fighting and imaginary enemies. Ikki and Meelo were too young to understand what was really happening; even Jinora didn't fully appreciate it. Pema had explained, as gently as she could, that there were some people who didn't like benders, either because they felt afraid, or because they felt jealous.

Tenzin was concerned, not only about the Equalists, but also about Korra. Jinora couldn't blame him, especially when Korra publicly challenged Amon to a midnight duel.

Tenzin stayed out that night, to make sure Korra came home. Pema put the children to bed before the duel had taken place. Jinora tried to sleep, but it was hard. She wasn't worried, exactly, but her mind wasn't satisfied with _not knowing_.

The next morning felt normal, like any other. The parents and three children came to the dining area for breakfast with the other Air Acolytes. It felt so normal, they almost didn't notice one person's absence.

Ikki rubbed her eyes and looked around. "Where's Korra?"

"She's still in bed," Tenzin answered, not lifting his eyes from the food.

Jinora kneeled down at the table. "So, what happened last night? Did Korra fight Amon?"

"No," Tenzin said; but Jinora saw his clenched fist resting on the table. She glanced at her mother, but Pema was busying herself with serving food.

Ikki and Meelo ran off when they finished eating; but Jinora remained at the table and looked expectantly at her father. "So what really happened?" she asked.

Tenzin sighed, bowing his head. "The Equalists set up a surprise attack."

Jinora's eyes widened. Tenzin went on, "Korra was about to leave, when they ambushed her. Then they just left her there. She was shaken up, but she's not hurt. She still has her bending."

Jinora's love of stories and history had helped her develop imagination and empathy. She marveled at how frightened Korra must have felt, and how brave she must have been.

"Is Korra going to be all right?" Jinora asked.

"She's taking a leave of absence from the task force," Tenzin answered. "I think it'll be good for her."

Pema touched Jinora's hand. "The best thing we can do for Korra is to give her some space, but let her know that we're here if she needs us."

Days passed, and then weeks. Korra divided her time between the Pro-Bending arena and Air Temple Island. After a while she did seem happier, more at peace.

Korra didn't seem worried about the Equalists, so Jinora decided she shouldn't be either.

* * *

In the evenings Tenzin and Jinora both liked to read in the family room. Jinora's interest was sparked when she saw Tenzin had a book about the rules of pro-bending. "I thought you didn't like it," she said slyly.

"I'm trying to brush up," Tenzin replied. "I'll be helping Chief Beifong supervise security at the tournament; if I'm going to see it anyway, I'd like to understand what's going on."

Jinora had secretly hoped that she and her siblings would be able to attend the championship, so they could give Korra moral support and see what the sport was really like. But after Amon's threat, she knew it would be out of the question. The Air Nomads rarely left the island at the best of times; they certainly wouldn't be allowed to leave now, with the air of apprehension hanging over Republic City.

"May I see?" Jinora moved over to sit next to her father, who held the book up so she could see. She was too big to sit in his lap anymore, but she leaned against him and read over his shoulder.

It grew later in the evening, but neither of them mentioned the time. They were just happy to have a quiet moment together.

* * *

Pema, Jinora, a few White Lotus members, and several Air Acolytes gathered around the radio to listen to the broadcasting of the Pro-Bending Championship. Ikki and Meelo, too full of energy to sit quietly and listen to the commentary, chased each other on the paths nearby.

"They're not playing fair; even the announcer thinks so!" Jinora burst out.

"Shh!" someone hissed; Jinora folded her arms and listened.

"_Well folks, it's a controversial call, but the Wolfbats notch a nasty knockout to win the match. For the fourth year in a row, they'll be crowned tournament champions._" The adults groaned and let out incredulous exclamations.

"I'm sorry, Jinora," Pema said, seeing her disappointed expression.

"Korra wanted to win so badly!" Jinora insisted, almost whining.

Suddenly Shiro Shinobi started narrating again. "_Folks, there is some sort of electrical disturbance in the stands._" Now the man sounded nervous. "_Metalbender cops are dropping like bumble-flies. There appear to be masked members of the audience wielding strange devices on their hands._" There was a pause. "_One of them is in the booth with me right now, folks. He is leveling one of those glove devices at me now, and I believe is is about to electrocute me! I am currently wetting my pants_."

Jinora let out an involuntary chortle, before clapping her hand over her mouth. No one else was laughing.

For a few minutes the radio broadcasted dead air. Still they waited, tense and apprehensive.

After a few minutes a new voice was heard, clear and calm. "_I believe I have your attention, benders of Republic City._"

What startled Jinora was how normal the man sounded, at first; she had expected a voice that was deeper and more sinister. She clung to her mother's arm, listening to the invisible leader speak.

"_Let this be a warning to all you benders out there: If any of you stand in our way, you will meet the same fate._"

Jinora didn't know if she felt more bewildered or fearful. "Is he talking to us?" she whispered. Her mother just stared in mute horror at the radio.

Ikki and Meelo paused in their game. "Mom, look!" Ikki pointed to the Pro-Bending Arena just across the bay. Jinora and the adults saw the new blimp, different from the ones used by the metalbenders, hover above the building.

"Children, get inside!" Pema said suddenly. Jinora picked up Meelo and led Ikki back into the temple, while someone helped her mother inside.

Some of the Air Acolytes were still listening to the radio. The last thing Jinora heard was Amon's promise to "equalize" Republic City, and then the whole world.

Pema and the children sat together in the family room. "What's going on?" Meelo asked.

"I think the Equalists are at the Arena, where Dad and Korra are," Jinora said.

"Really?" Ikki's grey eyes were wide.

"Will Dad be okay?" Jinora whispered.

Pema pulled Meelo into her lap. "Your father is a very capable fighter," she assured them.

"But what if they electrocute him, or block his chi, or take his bending away?" she pressed.

Pema squeezed her hand, and suddenly Jinora understood. She didn't have an answer. All they could do was wait, and hope.

Ikki didn't seem worried; in fact she was as optimistic as ever. "He has Korra there to help him. And if Korra gets into trouble, I bet Mako will save her. That would be _so_ romantic!" Ikki said, and for a moment she sounded just like her older sister.

Jinora had to laugh; it was the easiest thing to do at a time like this. "Yeah, it would." She glanced around the room. "Mom, may I look out the window?"

"I'd rather you didn't. We'll just wait for them to come home."

Ikki and Meelo played a hand-clap game. Pema practiced her breathing exercises. Jinora tried to go over good vocabulary words and definitions in her head. As a reader, Jinora had a mind for remembering good vocabulary. But now, words like _impurity_ and _unnatural_ and _revolution_ ran through her head.

Finally, mercifully, they heard the sound of a sliding door opening and then quickly closing. "Pema!" A moment later Tenzin and Korra appeared at the doorway.

"Daddy!" the three kids chorused, running over to him. Tenzin knelt down and caught them in his arms. "I was so worried …" Jinora noticed he hugged them a little tighter than usual. Then he stood and went over to embrace Pema. His hand rested on her stomach, over the child that Katara had predicted would be a bender.

Jinora could vaguely remember her mother being pregnant with Ikki; she could more easily recall the pregnancy with Meelo. This was the first time she had ever felt worried about what kind of world her future sibling would enter.

Ikki and Meelo were excitedly interrogating Korra. "Did you fight the Equalists? Was it scary? Did Mako help you?"

Jinora put a hand on each of their shoulders, trying to calm them down, if only for a moment. "Mom and I heard about it on the radio," she said. "And then we could see the blimps across the bay."

Korra's expression was more gentle than Jinora had ever seen it. "Cheif Beifong and I tried to fight, but they got away. I'm all right," she assured them. "Though I don't think I'll be doing any more Pro-Bending," she added, trying to laugh. But Korra could see the tears that had been building in Jinora's eyes. She knelt down so she was almost the same height, and pulled Jinora into a hug that they both needed.

Korra wondered if this was what it was like to have siblings – people of your own generation, to look after you, and vise versa. She knew Mako and Bolin had that kind of bond; she respected it and kept her distance from it. But Korra had been living with Tenzin and Pema for a month, and as more time passed she became more aware that she was becoming part of their family.

"I'm glad you're okay," Jinora said, and Korra could hear the smile in her voice.

"Hey." Korra pulled away and put her hands on the girl's shoulders. "It's going to be all right." She would personally make sure of that.


	7. Decisions

_Written after watching Episodes 7 and 8, "The Aftermath" and "When Extremes Meet."_

The first time Asami almost sympathized with the Equalists, was when the police came and raided her home.

Benders believed their powers gave them the right and responsibility to impose control. Asami had known this all her life, she had just never thought of it that way. The Avatar, the Fire Lords, army officers, metalbender cops. They were all granted positions of power based on their abilities.

When Hiroshi Sato was accused of being an Equalist, Asami felt resentment, not for all benders (that would have included Mako and Bolin), but for the select benders who were persecuting non-benders.

But when Chief Beifong found a tunnel under Hiroshi's workshop, Asami was forced to consider the possibility that it might be true.

And then the question was, what if it _was_ true? What would she do?

She had to do _something_; that was the only thing she knew for certain. So barely a minute after Mako and Bolin went down, Asami followed, trying to move silently in through tunnel. She had no plan, because she didn't know what she was going to find.

She climbed out of the manhole and saw her father facing off Mako and Bolin, who were holding up three unconscious bodies – Korra, Tenzin, and Chief Beifong. Asami felt sick, looking around and spotting the trucks which masked men – Equalists – were loading unconscious officers into.

Asami did the only thing she could: she shouted, diverting Hiroshi's attention from her friends. She still hadn't decided anything yet; she was in a slight shock, and before she did anything, she wanted answers.

His excuse, or motive, was that her mother had been killed by benders. Maybe Asami would have felt the same way, if she had been older when her mother died. As it was, she barely remembered her. Instead of pain, Asami felt an emptiness, thinking of her.

What would her mother want her to do?

She wouldn't want her to go against the law. Wasn't that what the triads did? They used intimidation, just like Hiroshi was doing now; the only difference was that Hiroshi was using technology rather than manipulating nature.

Suddenly, in the space of a second, Asami remembered Tahno. She had been there when the Wolfbats cheated their way through the championship. She had witnessed Amon take their bending away. Hiroshi had urged her to stay in her seat, to not draw any attention to herself with the Equalists present and armed.

Then, she had seen Tahno again when they both waited to be questioned by the police about the incident at the Pro-Bending Arena. Asami had never seen anyone look so … depressed. He wasn't sick, but he could no longer be described as healthy. She had realized, then, just what it meant to be a bender. If you stripped a person of that ability, you took away part of their very self.

There was no way she was going to help do that to her friends. And seeing Mako and Bolin supporting their unconscious teammate, she knew what she had to do.

It wasn't hard to decide; it was just hard to do. Asami really was trembling when she accepted the electric glove. She tried to keep her expression neutral, as though she was curious or uncertain.

_"I love you, Dad_._"_ Later, Asami was glad she had told him that, as the last thing she said to him. She just hoped that he believed her.

She had lost her mother to benders, and now she had lost her father to Equalists. Her heart ached for both of them; she missed her mother, and she knew she must have hurt her father.

As she watched the mansion grow smaller below the blimp, Asami wondered if she would ever see her father again. If so, then under what circumstances? Would they ever be able to reconcile? If he worked so closely with Amon, and she sided with Avatar Korra … it seemed inevitable that they would have to fight on opposite sides.

Mako came up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder. Asami turned, and wordlessly hugged him, burying her face in his chest. He didn't say anything; he knew words couldn't really comfort at a time like this. They didn't talk for a while. He was just there for her. Asami remembered that he too had lost his parents, to a firebender no less.

Finally Mako spoke up. "I talked to Korra. She said we can stay at the Air Temple. All of us," he added, indicating her as well.

They were silent for a moment, before he tried again. "That was really brave, back there. I feel weird, thanking you for betraying your father, but … you did save us. Thanks for that."

"You're welcome."

"Asami?" They turned and saw Korra standing off to the side, looking more tentative than either of them had seen her before. "I'm sorry I caused all of this."

Asami shook her head. "Don't be. My dad seemed to know I would find out eventually. You just helped me find the truth."

* * *

Loneliness was something that Asami and Korra had in common. Neither of them had siblings, and both of them had left their families behind. But they were fortunate enough to have friends who wouldn't let them feel like they were alone.

It felt good to be a part of a group like this. She wasn't just Mako's girlfriend, or the daughter of their sponsor, or the girl they brought along because she had no where else to live. They were including her in the new Team Avatar. They valued her and trusted her to help them. She felt purposeful and empowered. She smiled as she glanced down at the glove on her hand. The Equalists wouldn't expect their opponents to fight with _their_ own weapons.

The four of them had synergy, fighting together. Asami was the quick-thinking driver who provided transportation, and the glove proved handy incapacitating attackers. Korra and Bolin conjured ramps with earthbending, while Mako shorted out the Equalists' vehicles with lightning.

Asami had never felt as proud as she did when they captured the group of Equalists. Nevertheless, she felt slightly unsettled watching Korra make fun of Tarrlok, who warned them to stay out of his way; but they weren't going to stop, when they were finally making progress working against the Equalists.

Asami wasn't entirely surprised when Tarrlok ordered her arrest. She had wondered whether she would be under suspicion, once news spread that her father was an Equalist. Not to mention she was a non-bender using an Equalist weapon in public, after being told not to interfere with police business.

But she was surprised when Mako and Bolin were also arrested. Later, she wondered if Tarrlok was trying to break up Korra's support. He knew that together they were a force to be reckoned with. The three of them were acutely aware that they were leaving Korra alone, just as she had feared she would be.

"This is bad," Bolin observed, looking worried. No one disagreed with him.

The truck rolled along. Asami tried to imagine the route it was taking to City Hall. It might be good to know if they had to make a quick getaway.

"You know, when we were out on the streets, I used to worry that we'd be arrested," Mako said, just to fill up the silence in the police van.

"Have you ever been to prison before?" Asami asked curiously.

"Sure; just never on the inside," Bolin said, almost jokingly.

Mako looked at the floor of the truck. "Men and women are held in separate blocks," he said in an undertone. "You're going to be on your own, Asami."

"I'll be okay." They could hear the grind of wheels on pavement as the truck stopped. The doors were wrenched open, and the prisoners quickly stood up.

As they passed each other, Mako leaned over and kissed Asami on the cheek, a kiss good-bye. "Take care of yourself."

She nodded, looking at both of them. "You too." She was glad to know that they wouldn't alone. Mako and Bolin would probably be together in the men's section.

At first Asami was put into a temporary cell with other women and girls. She saw younger children there, and was reminded of the little airbenders who had welcomed them to Air Temple Island. She couldn't imagine how they would cope in this place.

A young girl noticed Asami looking at her. "Hey, you were with the Avatar," she recognized. "Why'd they arrest you?"

Asami shifted uncomfortably, noticing several people turn their heads toward her. "Tarrlok said it was because my father's an Equalist. And I was out after curfew, like you." Maybe she should have stayed at the island while Korra and the boys patrolled, instead of putting the group at risk with her presence.

She sat down with her back against the wall, trying to take up as little space in the crowded cell as she could. Asami wondered what her father would think if he found out about her arrest. Would he try to get her out? If he did, she didn't think she would go with him.

_You wouldn't be here if you hadn't turned against me_.

Asami shook the thought from her mind. She was already decidedly at peace with what she had done. She would _never_ regret saving her friends. She loved them, and she never would have forgiven herself if she let Amon take their bending or worse.

Tarrlok was actually a lot like her father and Amon. They couldn't accept, or else they chose to ignore, the complexity of the situation. Hiroshi blamed all benders for the actions of the triads; Tarrlok blamed all non-benders for the actions of the Equalists.

Tarrlok was creating more inequality, which would be ammunition for the Equalists to justify their cause. There was one place where there should be equality, and that was before the law.

Asami looked around, and wondered if any of these non-benders would now be more sympathetic toward the Equalists, after having been personally oppressed by the metalbender police. It was an ironic thought. If they were treated like criminals, would they become criminals? Asami didn't think so; that would only prove that their persecutors had been right to suspect them.

"It wasn't just me," Asami said suddenly. "He arrested my friends, a firebender and an earthbender. You see, it isn't just non-benders. Tarrlok will go after anyone who stands in his way."

"What about the Avatar?" the girl said, looking at her earnestly.

"She tried to reason with Tarrlok, but he refused to listen. She wanted to fight, but then he would have arrested her too. She said she'd get Councilman Tenzin to help. Neither of them will stand for injustice." It was the Avatar's job to help all people, not just benders or non-benders.

_"We can help people like us."_

That's what she would do. But not by fighting benders. She would work alongside Korra, trying to reconcile and keep peace between benders and non-benders. Because she knew from experience that both groups included good and bad people alike.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** The line about equality before the law is paraphrased from _To Kill a Mockingbird_ by Harper Lee.


	8. Strength

_Takes place during Episodes 8 and 9, "When Extremes Meet" and "Out of the Past". (Sorry I didn't update sooner; though I did post a new songfic for The Legend of Korra, entitled "Bring Them Home".)_

* * *

Korra cried.

She seemed to do that more often, ever since she came to Republic City. Before that, she hadn't cried in years.

She had cried after Amon and his cohorts ambushed her at Avatar Aang Memorial; Tenzin had been there to comfort her, probably the way his father had once comforted him.

Then, just a few days ago – had it only been yesterday? – she had cried silently, out of despair and loneliness; but her friends had appeared and assured her that she wouldn't be alone.

Now she was. And that's what made her cry. That, and her anger and hatred toward Tarrlok, and her frustration with herself. She cried, because it was the only thing she could do, tied up and locked in the back of a truck.

Tarrlok had implied that he arrested her friends in order to blackmail her into helping him. They would have been better off if they hadn't been with her, if they hadn't become so close. Korra hated the idea that she put them in danger. And even if they realized this, they wouldn't care, because she was their friend and they wanted to help.

_I'm sorry, guys. I should have stayed free so I could help Tenzin free you. I failed you … just like I failed those innocent non-benders …_

Korra remembered the woman in the crowd. _"You're __our__ Avatar, too."_ Even some non-benders wanted her help.

Whatever Tarrlok thought of her, he was wrong. She had come to Republic City to serve people, not oppress them.

What was he going to do with her now? Did he have a plan?

Maybe Tarrlok was just trying to scare her. Maybe he would offer Korra one last chance to side with him.

Should she give in this time?

What would her friends want her to do? Mako had urged her to listen to Tarrlok, rather than join them in prison. Korra had failed him in that, as well.

Should she have agreed to work for Tarrlok in exchange for their freedom? Korra's stubborn, instinctive answer was _No_. In fact, her friends wouldn't have wanted her to take part in such injustices as arresting any and all suspected non-benders.

Maybe she had come to him, but he had attacked her first. And now he was kidnapping her.

Tarrlok would be in so much trouble, if word got out that he had kidnapped the Avatar. But then again, who would he be in trouble with? Who really had the power in Republic City? Bending triads? The police? The press? The Equalists still at large? Korra had no way of knowing right now.

* * *

The bloodbending rendered her as helpless as if she'd been taken out by the Equalists. Only with bloodbending, she still had feeling in her limbs; she could move, but not of her own will. She wondered which experience had been the more horrifying.

When she was captured by the Equalists at the Avatar Aang Memorial, she had thought that it was all over for her. But she had survived that ordeal.

And she could—would—survive this one, too.

She'd had another vision, she remembered suddenly. She was getting better at remembering them; she tried to relax her mind and let it come back to her. She had seen the same three people, Avatar Aang and his friends.

Tenzin had encouraged her to meditate on her visions (if you could call them that). Korra still wasn't fond of that activity, but she had nothing else to do at the moment. She assumed the lotus position, closed her eyes and tried to breathe evenly.

_Aang? If you're listening … I really need help. That's not an easy thing for me to admit! Please, help me_.

She had half a mind to doubt whether prayer actually worked. She believed in the Spirit World, but there were limitations on what spirits could do. Her own life was proof of that.

Still, Aang had cared about her even before she was born. He had tasked the White Lotus with keeping her safe while she mastered the four elements, knowing how hard it was to do that. He had even talked his wife into teaching the next Avatar, and for that Korra was truly grateful.

She had always envied the people who had known Aang better and longer than she ever would. Tenzin, Lin Beifong, Katara.

Katara would never have given up in a situation like this. (And she probably _had_ been in a situation like this, during one of her many historic adventures.) She had been one of Korra's greatest mentors and role models. Korra had always prided herself on being strong; but now she only hoped that she could be as strong as Katara, and as wise as Aang and Tenzin.

She went over her and Katara's friends in her mind. _Tenzin, Lin, Aang, Toph, Sokka_. Their names seemed to be the link, the password into her past life.

Korra understood now why she had immediately realized what was happening when Tarrlok bloodbended her. Aang had also experienced it in his lifetime.

Maybe some of Aang's cleverness did come through to her. When she heard Amon and the Equalists, she knew she had to act fast. What did she have that she could use? Nothing bendable … she looked down at what she was wearing, and spotted one of her cloth armbands. It was small enough to slip through the bars at the top of the cage, and hopefully durable enough to hold her weight. She pulled herself up off the floor of the box, straining under her own weight, while the electric currents ran through the metal all around her.

_She's strong_. Katara had been right. And it was a good thing, too.

If there was one thing Korra learned about herself from the experience, it was that she was never alone, even when she was by herself. She always had the past Avatars, with her, inside her, watching over her.


	9. Protection

_Takes place between Episodes 10 and 11, "Turning the Tides" and "Skeletons in the Closet"._

Team Avatar's hiding place was Bolin's idea. In a rare moment of strategical triumph, he remembered the sewers where he and Mako had sometimes taken refuge as kids. It wasn't exclusive, especially now that the city was in a state of war. In the days they spent underground, a small neighborhood was formed. Those who had experience living simply—like Gommu and Skoochy—helped those who had come simply to escape the terror above them.

Korra was restless. She didn't like hiding, sitting around, waiting. It didn't feel right to play with Pabu or lie around like friends hanging out, while above them people were suffering and hoping for rescue. She wanted to have some kind of plan of action.

She would go off by herself and meditate for periods of time. She had explained to her friends that she had finally made a connection with her past life, and she wanted to explore it further. But so far none of her sessions had made any progress. Still, meditating gave her something to do, a way to replace her worry with calm. Taking measured breaths and staying as still as possible, it reassured her to know that she was in control of her body (something she couldn't take for granted after having been bloodbent).

Asami bore up surprisingly well in hiding. She had never complained about any of her circumstances since leaving her father's mansion. She had enjoyed being on Air Temple Island, not minding the small room or shared living space. She had endured an overnight stay in a prison cell. And now she was biding her time in a dirty but well-intentioned hobo community.

The only indication she made that she didn't like this way of life, was when she discreetly passed on food prepared from dumpster findings. But even then she didn't say anything to offend the cook; she made sure her portion didn't go to waste, by giving it to Pabu.

"So, is this what your lives were like when you lived on the streets?" Korra asked one day when the four of them shared what should have been a meal, but was really just scraps.

"Kind of," Mako said, glancing around. "I mean, there was the same feeling of hiding. But there wasn't any sense of community like there is here."

Bolin swallowed his mouthful of street gruel and spoke up. "Plus, it was always only Mako and me. I like it better with you guys here," he said, looking at Korra and Asami. The girls smiled weakly.

"So, what did you do today?" Korra asked Mako.

"Skoochy found a group of kids, including some benders who'd run away. We let them hide here, but then I had to watch and make sure no one had seen us come in."

"Do you have to go out so often?" Asami asked. "It's one thing when you're in an Equalist uniform; but without it, you're pretty easily recognizable."

Mako looked somewhat irritated. "I'm making sure this place is actually safe."

"The born protector," Bolin said jokingly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mako said sharply.

"Nothing." Bolin shrugged innocently. "Just that, since Mom and Dad died, that's kind of been your thing."

"You did tell me that, when we were tracking Bolin," Korra reminded him.

Asami spoke up quietly. "When I wanted to follow the others down the tunnel under my house, you wanted me to stay put while you found out the truth for me. But," she went on, "if I had done that, I wouldn't have been able to help you guys escape." Her eyes met the firebender's. "You don't have to do it all on your own, Mako."

Mako's face softened. His eyes flickered down to Bolin and Korra, who were smiling at him, gentle and encouraging.

"Next time you have recon duty, I'll go with you," Korra said, stirring her gruel.

Mako wanted to protest, but then seemed to deflate. He knew arguing with Korra would be futile. "All right."

Asami pursed her lips but said nothing.

* * *

It was an instinct left over from living on the streets, and revived while in hiding: Mako was on alert, even at night, as though he kept one ear cocked and one eye opened while sleeping.

He could hear someone shifting, turning on their sleeping pallet. Then someone grunted, and he recognized Korra's voice. Mako sat up slightly, leaning back on his arms to look at Korra's sleeping form. Her face shone with sweat; she looked like she was wincing in her sleep.

Mako glanced at Bolin and Asami, hoping they wouldn't also wake up. Then he leaned over and gently shook Korra.

She gave a soft, startled cry as she awoke. She grabbed his wrist reflexively, before realizing who he was and where they were. She was breathing hard, but she tried to gain her composure.

"Are you okay?" Mako asked quietly.

Korra quickly let go of his wrist. "I'm fine," she murmured. "I just—had a bad dream."

"Sorry."

She shrugged. "It's nothing new."

"Has it been happening for a while?"

Korra didn't answer right away. She glanced at their slumbering friends, and Mako understood what she was thinking, that talking might wake them up. Since neither of them seemed inclined to sleep just yet, Korra crawled out of the sleeping area, then stood and went over to where Naga was lying inert on the floor. Mako followed her, still waiting for an answer. They sat down with their backs against the stone wall.

Korra sighed, looking up at the ceiling, which was really the street. "I started having nightmares after the Revelation."

"Yeah, Bolin did too," Mako remembered. Korra's eyes flickered to him, as she remembered Bolin mentioning that. Of course she wasn't the only one who had been scared by that episode, or by the subsequent Equalist victories.

"The scariest thing about them was, I knew that they _could_ come true. And some of them did." Mako looked questioningly at Korra, who glanced sideways at him. "Remember when I challenged Amon to a duel, one-on-one?"

Mako nodded.

"I didn't tell you … what happened when I went there." Korra faced forward, her blue eyes unfocused, as though she were reliving the memory. "I thought he wasn't going to show up, as though he was afraid of me. Then I was ambushed, chi-blocked and held up so I could see Amon. I was _sure_ he was going to take away my bending … I closed my eyes and looked away. I couldn't even face him or act defiant or …" Korra stopped, trying to catch her breath. Her head was bowed in shame. Mako looked at her in amazement and concern.

"I don't understand. How did you get away?"

Korra shook her head. "I didn't. He let me go, but first he told me why. If he took my bending then, I would have become a martyr, and that would have sparked resistance from benders of all the nations. But he told me he had a plan, and we _would_ have a showdown. He said he's going to destroy me."

Mako stared at her. He had never seen Korra like this. Afraid. Young. Insecure.

She may have been the Avatar, but she was also a teenage girl.

Mako put his hand on her arm. "It's okay. We're all safe here." At least as safe as they could be, given the present climate.

Korra smiled faintly, grateful for those words. She had been almost too tired to appreciate them the first time he had spoken them to her.

"I can't hide here forever," Korra reminded him grimly. "I have to face him, sooner or later. I have to at least try to end this."

Mako said nothing. He knew she was right. He couldn't protect her forever.

Korra sighed, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling. "I'm the Avatar. I'm supposed to be the most powerful person in the world. If Amon takes my bending … it'll be a sign to everyone that I've failed, that he's won."

"But … eventually, when you die, you'll be reincarnated," Mako said. Korra looked at him, surprised and skeptical, but Mako went on; he'd had this thought in the back of his mind for some time now. "Even if, by some twisted chance, Amon succeeds in 'equalizing' the rest of the world, there'll always be a new Avatar born capable of bending. And other benders could be born, pop up in each nation. Amon doesn't realize that his goal is just impossible to reach."

Korra considered this. If she looked at the big picture, not just where she herself was concerned, she supposed that was good. "I've never heard such _practical_ optimism," she remarked.

Mako smiled and shrugged. They sat there for a few minutes, listening to the silence of the underground camp. It was relatively peaceful, like the eye of a hurricane, in between bouts of violent fighting.

Finally Mako stood. "I'm going back to sleep. You should, too."

"Yeah." They retreated back to their small section of the campsite, next to Bolin, Asami, and Pabu. Korra pulled her blanket up over her shoulders, hoping that the nightmares would be at bay now.

Mako spoke up from his sleeping mat. "Remember … you don't have to do it all on your own."

Korra turned her head slightly, surprised by the familiar words. She looked at Mako, and realized that he understood. They both had burdens of responsibility, and fear of losing the people they loved.

_Mako. We are going to save your brother. I promise you that._

_ We got your back, Korra. And we can save the city. Together_.

Korra smiled again, a real smile of gratitude and something that might have been love. "Thank you."

"Anytime," Mako said truthfully.

They both slept peacefully that night.


	10. Heroism

_Takes place during Episodes 11 and 12, "Skeletons in the Closet" and "Endgame"._

* * *

Just a few days ago, Lin had come here to bust out friends and allies.

Now, she was the one who needed to be rescued. She couldn't save herself, or anyone else for that matter. Not anymore.

Lin could remember something her mother used to say—sometimes with carelessness, other times with determination or seriousness. _"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."_ Strength was something the Beifong women prided themselves on.

She wasn't finished. She was just waiting.

She didn't pity herself. She just hated the feeling of being useless, locked up with no bending to utilize.

A new sound reached her ears, which were sensitive even without the vibrations of earthbending. It was the sound of a baby crying.

A baby …

Lin rushed to the bars of her cell, looking out into the hallway. There, guarded by two Equalists, was a woman in Air Acolyte clothes, holding a swaddled baby protectively against her chest.

"Pema!" Lin shouted.

She looked up, startled, and her eyes found the woman the cell. "Lin!" Then her face fell, realizing what must have happened to the earthbender. "Not you, too!"

"Where are the others?"

"I don't know." Pema's face crumpled. The Equalist guard grasped her shoulder and continued to lead her away. "Lin—thank you, for what you did."

"I would do it all over again," Lin swore quietly, but Pema couldn't hear as she walked away, to her own cell.

Lin backed away from the bars, and sat heavily on the cot, her head bowed in despair and grief.

She could imagine what Amon had planned for the airbenders.

She had failed. Her _heroic_ sacrifice had been for nothing.

She's had ample time to think about the loss of her own bending. She knew it was the end of her mother's legacy to her. But she had felt she could bear the loss of her bending with the thought that it was for the good of the Air Nomad family. Toph Beifong would have been proud of her for that.

Now, Lin almost felt like crying. But she didn't. Not yet. She would only cry if she heard that Korra and the airbenders _had_ been defeated, had their bending stripped away. But fear and uncertainty wouldn't make her cry.

She knew the end of the war was almost upon them, if it wasn't already. With nothing else to do but wait, Lin lay down on her cot and tried to gather whatever strength she had left.

* * *

Lin was startled out of sleep by voices. Children's voices. "Mom! Mommy!" Lin sat up straight.

"Pema!" That was Tenzin.

Lin had never felt so relieved, so incredulously _happy_, as she did at that moment. She felt like crying, though for a second she also had a strange urge to laugh. It passed quickly, though. She called out. "Tenzin!" She stuck her arm through the bars and pointed down the hall. "I saw them take Pema this way!"

"Hold on!" Tenzin had a ring of keys, presumably stolen from a guard lying unconscious somewhere. He tried one after another in the lock.

Ikki looked slightly confused. "Couldn't you just metal … bend …" She trailed off, realizing why Lin hadn't already escaped. "Oh no."

Tenzin found the right key and slid the door open. Lin inclined her head slightly. "Amon took my bending."

There was a moment of silence, brief because they didn't have much time. "I'm sorry," Tenzin said, looking like he was at a loss. "I can't tell you how much … what you did …"

"Did it even make any difference?" The look she gave him said clearly that she would believe nothing except the truth.

"You bought us time, more than we would have had otherwise."

Jinora looked up at the woman with respect and something that may have been awe. "Lin, in all sincerity, that was the bravest thing I've ever seen anyone do."

"Please tell me it wasn't for nothing." Lin looked up at Tenzin. "Amon—did he …?"

"No. Korra and Mako were disguised as Equalists; they helped us get away in time."

"We have to find Mommy and Rohan!" Ikki reminded them, her eyes wide with excitement and possibly fear.

"This way." Lin led them down the corridor of jail cells. Her legs ached slightly after so many hours of disuse, and her body was still sore with bruises from her capture on the airship. And yet, it felt good to walk purposefully alongside her friend.

When they passed an Equalist prison guard, Lin had to fight her instinct to go on the offensive, and let Tenzin be the one to subdue the opponent. She wondered vaguely whether she would ever again feel the rush of battle adrenaline. She didn't have time to dwell on it as they hurried past the unconscious guard, checking every cell they passed.

"There!" Lin pointed, almost to the end of the hall.

"Pema!" Tenzin rushed up to the bars. His wife was sitting on the cot, nursing the baby. Tenzin fumbled with the keys, his hands shaking as he unlocked the cell door. The airbenders burst into the small room.

Pema's face still shone with what had, earlier, been tears. But now, as her family hugged her, a new tide of tears fell down her face. "Tenzin—children—thank the Spirits, you're all right."

Lin stood in the doorway, watching the reunion. It looked almost like the day Rohan was born.

Pema handed the baby to Tenzin, and then strode over to Lin. The two women looked at each other for a moment, before Pema threw her arms around Lin's neck. "Thank you," she said again.

Lin's first thought was that she was extremely uncomfortable, but she could feel Pema's sincerity and warmth. The next thing she knew, Tenzin had his arms around both of them.

Jinora, who was now holding Rohan for the first time, watched the adults share a strange group hug, and shared a knowing look with a grinning Ikki.

* * *

Bolin and Asami rode Naga back to Republic City, and caught up with Lin and the Air Nomads at the docks. They took the ferry back to Air Temple Island, which the Equalists had apparently deserted. Tenzin and the children told the others what they had heard while they were imprisoned, that Amon was actually a waterbender and bloodbender.

Lin gripped the railing of the ferry boat. "This is bad, if it's true," she said. She looked up at Tenzin. "Remember, when the Council Page revealed that Tarrlok was a bloodbender, he didn't bother hiding it then. If Korra knows that Amon is a waterbender, and a bloodbender …"

Tenzin understood. "He'd be even more dangerous, using those abilities."

The children were leaning up on the railing near the bow of the ship. As the shapes on the island grew more distinct, Meelo suddenly cried out, "It's Korra!"

"Does that mean we won?" Ikki asked, jumping up and down in excitement. "Oh, I hope we won!"

"Do you think it's really over?" Pema asked, looking to Tenzin and Lin.

"We'll find out soon enough," Tenzin answered flatly.

Asami pointed out at the horizon, beyond the Air Temple and the Avatar Aang Memorial. "That must be the second wave of United Forces." The others looked, and saw the group of ships making its way into Yue Bay.

Ten minutes later the ferry pulled up at the docks, where Korra and Mako were waiting for the others. Jinora, Ikki, and Meelo were the first to go down.

"Korra, Korra!" The children called out her name, just like they did when she first came to Air Temple Island.

Korra knelt down and let the children run into her arms. She buried her face in Jinora's hair so they wouldn't see how close to tears she was.

She pulled her head back, still holding on to them. "You got away," she said, relieved.

"Yeah, thanks to you," Ikki said, offering her a smile.

Jinora pulled away first, only to look up at Mako. Before he knew what was happening, the little girl hugged him around the middle. "Thanks for saving us," she said.

"Hey." Mako couldn't help smiling. He sort of patted her back. "No problem."

The three adults came up behind the children. Korra looked up, and smiled to see Lin and the reunited married couple.

"Korra, Mako, you saved us. Thank you," Tenzin said with gratitude.

"You're heroes," Meelo said proudly. Even Jinora's eyes shone with admiration.

Korra smiled weakly.

"YOU'RE ALIVE!" Korra stood and saw Naga charging down the gangplank, carrying an ecstatic Bolin and a smiling Asami. Bolin leapt down onto the dock and put an arm around Korra and Mako. "Team Avatar is back together!"

"Where's General Iroh?" Korra asked.

"He hijacked one of the Equalist aircraft," Asami answered. "He's probably met up with Bumi's fleet by now."

Mako looked at her, hesitant to ask what was on his mind. "Did you see your father?" he asked.

Asami nodded. "We fought each other with mecha tanks." She glanced at the earthbender. "Bolin saved my life."

"Ah, well," Bolin said with an embarrassed smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "I do what I can." He shrugged. "So, what did we miss?" he asked.

Korra and Mako exchanged glances.

"Well," Korra said deliberately, "the good news is, Amon is gone, and he won't be leading the Equalists anymore. And," she remembered, "I don't know how, exactly, but I can airbend now."

The airbenders were especially excited by this. "What?"

"That's wonderful!"

"Congratulations."

"And the bad news?" Asami asked, looking concerned.

Mako looked sadly at Korra. She lowered her eyes to the dock. "Amon escaped … but, not before he took my other bending."

She wouldn't look at them, didn't want to see the shock, the horror, the concern, the sympathy.

"No," Jinora moaned softly.

"I'm so sorry," Asami said.

How was she supposed to respond to that? Obviously it wasn't okay. She couldn't accept an apology like that. She glanced away, and her eyes fell on Mako, who had gone with her at his own risk.

"Hey, Mako was incredible," Korra said, smiling as she looked at her friend. "I couldn't bend, and Amon was bloodbending him, but Mako managed to shoot some lightning at him. Amon actually said no one had ever gotten the better of him like that."

Mako didn't enjoy having any praise go to him. "I couldn't do it." Mako squeezed his eyes shut, looking agonized and almost ashamed. "I couldn't save her."

Bolin looked at him with concern, remembering a similar conversation they'd once had. Mako had had to explain why their parents weren't coming home. _I couldn't do it. I couldn't save them_.

"Mako." Korra sounded frustrated with him. "You helped me get out of there alive."

"You stopped Amon from taking my bending. You saved me … but I couldn't save you." He looked at her, his expression apologetic. "I'm sorry."

Korra didn't say anything, just looked at him. Then she went up and hugged him. Mako slid his arms around her, holding her close. He seemed to understand her meaning.

Korra saw Bolin and Asami standing nearby, and opened one arm invitingly to them. Bolin came forward to join the hug, followed by Asami.

It was the first time the four of them ever had a group hug. They ignored any lingering awkwardness or romance; the four of them cared about each other and were happy to be together again.


	11. Change

_Takes place during Episode 12, "Endgame"._

A surprisingly large group of people wanted to come with Korra. Tenzin wanted to be there, and he didn't want to leave his family; besides, Katara needed to meet her newest grandchild. Lin Beifong knew that if Katara was able to restore Korra's bending, the healer might be able to restore hers as well. She had nothing hold her back anyway. As for Asami and the brothers—there was no way they were separating again.

The four teenagers were with each other constantly, except for the times when Korra said she wanted to be alone. They didn't argue, they let her have some space; but after a while one of them—usually Mako—would come into her room and wait until she was ready to talk or go about the ship again. Sometimes they found her meditating, trying to see if her spiritual side was still extant, or else just blocking out what remained of the nightmare. It helped that she was leaving Republic City, but there was no getting away from the problem at hand, the reason for this journey home.

_Home_. Could she still think of the South Pole that way? She had never known how long she would stay in Republic City, whether or not she would settle there. She had made a life there. But that life had more or less revolved around her bending—airbending training, Pro-Bending, fighting the Equalists.

Her old life in the Southern Water Tribe had also been centered around bending. Her upbringing had been focused on mastering the elements—at first it had been partly because she could be dangerous otherwise, experimenting with her abilities without proper training. Her goals always had to do with mastering each set, reaching the next level. She had been so close to finishing, to becoming a fully realized Avatar … and now she never would.

* * *

There was a party waiting to greet them when the boat arrived at the South Pole. From the deck, Korra spotted the married couple and the old woman in ordinary Water Tribe dress. She waved to them in greeting, smiling in spite of her apprehension.

The airbender kids didn't wait for the gangplank to be lowered; they clambered onto the railing and jumped down to the ice, smoothing their landing with small gusts of air. They hugged Katara and talked excitedly to her while the others got ready to go ashore. Tenzin and Korra led the entourage down the metal gangplank.

"Korra." Senna ran a few yards to meet her daughter. Korra surprised her slightly by throwing her arms around her, hugging her more tightly than ever before. Both women were crying slightly. Tonraq came over, and Korra embraced him around the middle. She had been so busy in Republic City, she almost hadn't had time to miss her parents. And she couldn't shake the feeling that she had let them down, after she had set out to make them proud.

She was aware that her friends were stepping onto the ice, watching her reunite with her parents—an experience that they would never have.

Korra wiped her tears away and tried to compose her voice, before turning to the rest of the newcomers. "Mom, Dad, these are my friends. Mako, Bolin, and Asami. And I think Katara knows Lin Beifong." She smiled at the approaching waterbender. "Guys, _this_ is Master Katara. Tenzin's mother, and my waterbending teacher."

The three teenagers were slightly awed at meeting the woman who was renowned as a hero. But Asami remembered her manners and bowed. "It's an honor to meet you."

Katara put her hands on her hips, smiling at the group. "So you're the new Team Avatar?"

Bolin looked surprised. "How'd you know? I thought only we called ourselves that," he said, looking around at his friends in confusion.

Katara laughed. "My brother was the one who came up with that name."

"Man, the one time I thought I was being original …" But Katara wasn't listening anymore; she was looking past the teenagers at the gray-haired woman dressed in metal armor.

"Lin." Katara smiled fondly and opened her arms. Lin hesitated – she normally didn't do hugs – but then she went ahead and embraced the old woman.

"It's good to see you," Lin said truthfully.

Katara pulled away and held her at arm's length. "Your mother would be so proud," she said. "I know I am."

Lin nodded in acceptance. Then she glanced at Korra, who let down her air of cheerfulness. The Avatar approached the old woman with a serious, pleading look. "Katara? I really need your help."

The old master nodded, and gestured for the group the follow her.

* * *

"Do you think it's a good sign, or a bad sign, that they're taking so long?" Bolin asked.

"How should I know?" Mako said, and then sighed, an almost frustrated sound.

"Waiting is the worst part," Asami acknowledged, glancing around the room. The airbenders had baby Rohan as a diversion from their worried thoughts; Senna was leaning against Tonraq, who put a comforting arm around her; Lin was by herself, bent over with her elbows resting on her knees.

"I'm afraid to hope," Mako said. He followed Asami's gaze to the former earthbender, and realized that Lin Beifong must be feeling similarly; her fate would likely be the same as Korra's however bending was concerned.

"What if she can't do it? What if Korra's left without bending—forever?"

Asami put a hand on his shoulder. Mako met her gaze warily; her green eyes were gentle but firm. "After everything she's been through, she's going to need you, Mako."

He was startled, hearing the familiar words. Was it possible—had Asami heard Korra say that to Mako? Did she understand why he had stayed with her, because he cared about her enough to support her, to not want to hurt her? He looked at her in surprise; then his expression softened into gratitude.

Korra and Asami were both capable of selflessness. Mako was grateful that there was no bitterness between them, or between anyone in their group. Team Avatar. Would they remain a team now? The Equalists were gone, and there was still no Pro-Bending in the city. But maybe – just maybe – their friendships had become strong enough that they would last, even if the four of them didn't have a common goal.

He could hope.

It would be easier to hope for that, if Korra was able to bend once again. But he felt despair creeping up on him, tightening its grip as more time passed while Katara tried to help Korra. It was even harder not being able to gauge the time by the position of the sun; how could the Water Tribe people stand to have either constant day or endless night?

It was hours before Katara finally came into the room. She had left Korra alone for a moment to collect her thoughts. The old healer informed them sadly that she could not restore Korra's bending.

After a minute Korra came in and faced the room full of people. They looked at her with varying degrees of sadness, concern, sympathy, and even disappointment. Jinora was looking at her as though she knew that it should have been the airbenders, not the Avatar. She had created that diversion so they could escape and save Pema and Rohan.

It was Tenzin who broke the silence. "It's going to be all right, Korra."

Of course he would say that. He was like Katara that way, staunchly optimistic. But now, Korra had to disagree. "No." She looked away, angry and disappointed. "It's not." She walked across the room, not even looking at them as she picked up her coat and went outside.

She had almost made it to Naga when she Mako someone call after her. "Korra, wait!" She wasn't surprised; she wondered if the others had agreed that someone had to go after her.

He had implied, planted in her mind the idea, that it was his fault she had lost her bending. And now he wanted to be the one to comfort her? After all the times he had turned her down, it seemed like too little, too late.

She looked over her shoulder, only to glare at him. "Go away."

"I will," Mako conceded. "But I just want you to know, I'm here for you." She _was_ the reason he had left Republic City and traveled to the other side of the world.

Korra turned around, but still didn't look at his face. "No, I mean, go away, back to Republic City. Get on with your life." That was something he could do easily, but something she would have to struggle to do.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm not the Avatar anymore. You don't have to do me any favors." She started to walk away; but Mako held her back.

"I don't care if you're the Avatar or not. Listen …" Korra turned to face him, actually looking at him now, not knowing what to expect. Mako said the words that he had been turning over in his mind for weeks, words that he'd been waiting for the right moment to say. "When Tarrlok took you, I was losing my mind at the thought of never seeing you again. I realized …" He hesitated, but then looked at her with an intensity she'd never seen him direct at her before. "I love you, Korra."

She was shocked. And what was worse, she suddenly looked pained. "I—I can't." She turned away and ran from him, ignoring him when he shouted her name.

Tenzin came up behind Mako. "We need to be patient with her," he said. He hadn't eavesdropped, but he had some idea of how the two teenagers felt about each other. And he knew what it was like to have to watch someone else suffer. "It will take time for her to accept what has happened."

Mako could understand that. Still, he didn't want Korra to be alone. He was torn between wanting to give her space, and needing to know that she was okay.

Even if she didn't want it, he wanted to give her the support she needed. He would be there, if and when she felt she needed him. With that in mind, Mako started walking, following Naga's tracks in the snow.

* * *

As she rode away on Naga, Korra thought she shouldn't have been so surprised. She had even wondered, in recent weeks, if Mako returned the feelings she had for him. But for him to tell her now … she wasn't prepared to deal with it.

She had felt bad enough upon hearing confirmation that she would never again bend water, earth, or fire. But now, as she rode Naga out of the compound, she felt a real ache in her heart—pain for Mako as well as herself.

She couldn't face him now. She couldn't explain it to him.

He was in love with the Korra he had come to know. But she wasn't the same Korra she had been. Her life, her very self, had forever changed. They couldn't bond through Pro-Bending. She couldn't show her strength, or relate to how he felt when firebending. Korra doubted they could even spar anymore, when airbending wasn't a particularly combative martial art.

She and her friends had called themselves Team Avatar. Their purpose was to help the Avatar accomplish whatever she had to do. In a strange way, her job had held her circle of friends together.

As much as she had felt burdened with the responsibility, the truth was that overall she had wanted that role in the world, for her life.

Korra had always defined herself in terms of her identity as the Avatar. _I'm the Avatar_. She had said that to the White Lotus, to Lin Beifong, to Tarrlok. But it was no longer true. Now, she didn't know who she was, or who she would become.

She couldn't go back to Republic City. Not now. She couldn't face the humiliation of being the Avatar with permanently limited bending. Even if they honored her as a hero, she couldn't bear it if people looked at her as a martyr.

Her life had begun, and apparently would end, in the South Pole. But she had truly _lived_ in Republic City.

_Absolutely not. The city is far too dangerous!_

The White Lotus leader had been right. This wouldn't have happened if she had been patient and stayed at the South Pole …

But then she never would have met Lin, Asami, Bolin … Mako. She wouldn't have become a Pro-Bender (for however brief a time). She wouldn't have been there to help defeat the Equalists; what would have happened then?

Korra didn't want to think like that. It didn't matter what might have happened. All that mattered was what _had_ happened, and how she was going to deal with it.

In the back of her mind, she knew that she was being selfish, but she didn't care. She didn't care that she had just pushed away all the people who loved her. She didn't want to hear their soft-spoken words of sympathy. She just wanted to be alone.

She heard footsteps in the snow, and saw yellow and orange robes out of the corner of her eye. "Not now, Tenzin," she muttered, not bothering to look at him. "I just want to be alone."

"But you called me here." It wasn't Tenzin; but she recognized that voice.

Korra turned and looked up in amazement. "Aang," she breathed. And suddenly, her anguish was gone.

It was the first time she saw Aang smile, and it was directed at her, gentle and kind and somehow proud. "You have finally connected with your spiritual self."

Korra got to her feet, feeling confused again. Was she dreaming or hallucinating? She was talking to a dead person, and she hadn't even meditated or been knocked unconscious. "But, how?"

"When we hit our lowest point, we are open to the greatest change." Behind the airbender, more people appeared, men and women from all the Nations, all of them past Avatars. Korra wasn't that different from them. Each one had suffered and carried burdens and fought to keep balance, in the human world and the spiritual world.

Of course she could never be alone, Korra thought. She had learned that when Tarrlok imprisoned her. Aang, Roku, Kyoshi, Kuruk, Yangchen, a thousand generations … all lived inside her. She just had to be open to listen to them. And now she was.

Aang stepped forward, placing one hand on Korra's shoulder and another on her forehead—not unlike what he and Amon had done when they took away a person's bending. But somehow Korra knew that Aang was doing just the opposite.

She understood in that moment. She wasn't the Avatar because she could bend multiple elements. She was the Avatar because she had been reincarnated into each nation, mastered the elements time and time again, known spiritual wisdom and human emotions. Her past reincarnations lived in her, and they could lend her their strength, wisdom, and skill.

Her eyes glowed with power amassed from a thousand lifetimes. She didn't simply sense the elements around her, she _felt_ them calling her. She moved with skillful, precise motions that she had used countless times, in her own life and in past lives. She held herself in midair; she sent out waves of air, fire, and earth; she created a wave in the water far below her.

She floated to the ground. _Thank you, Aang … everyone_.

Korra turned around, and saw that Naga was not alone. Mako stood a distance away, looking at her. His surprised expression turned into a smile.

And in that moment, Korra understood: when she fought Amon, she had been able to unlock her airbending because of her desire—her _need—_to protect Mako, the way he protected her. She was spiritual enough to feel true love. She just needed to believe in it.

Korra ran to him, planning to apologize and ask him if he still wanted to be with her; but as she got closer she saw there was no need. He held out his arms to her, and she leapt into his embrace, hugging him for all they were worth. She had to fight a laugh of pure joy when Mako spun as he caught her, almost sweeping her off her feet.

For a moment they just held each other. When they finally pulled away to look and smile at each other, Korra touched Mako's face. "I love you, too."

And now, free of doubts and trepidation, they kissed. It was different from the first time: This kiss had conviction. Maybe Korra was still high on her newfound spirituality, because she had never felt so enlightened before. As for Mako, he couldn't remember another time when he had felt so happy, so proud, so content, as he did right now.

* * *

Author's Note: It's not over yet! There will be two post-finale chapters before I label this "Complete". (And even then, I could insert a new chapter in the future, but I wouldn't count on it.)


	12. Siblings

**Author's Note:** I made a slight edit to the chapter "Heroism", because I realized that no one really thanked Mako for helping to free the airbenders at the rally.

* * *

It was strange, resuming their usual lives. Jinora wasn't sure if it could be called "going back to normal". Since when were their lives normal anyway? What did that even mean?

They moved back to Air Temple Island. The biggest change there was the presence of another child, Rohan. Jinora had almost forgotten what it was like to have a baby in the family. While Ikki and Meelo liked to play with Rohan, Jinora was content to rock him to sleep, singing "Leaves from the Vine". She could remember how people used to sing that to her—usually her mother, but she also remembered a voice that she couldn't quite place.

Lin often visited the Air Nomad family. She talked to Tenzin and Korra about important business, and took a moment to speak with the children as well. "Are you doing all right?" she always asked.

Jinora wasn't sure what the answer was. On the one hand, of course they were all right. She'd never been so happy to be alive, a bender, with her family and friends.

On the other hand, there were small changes.

There were nightmares, rising up in the children's memories and imagination, as though their past couldn't stand being forgotten.

The two airbender girls shared a room. Their belongings were few, but told much about each of the girls. Jinora's bedside table held a pile of books and some incense. Ikki's corner had a kite (something she liked to use in conjunction with airbending) and a doll that she had made when Pema was teaching her how to sew.

At ten years old, Jinora had learned to not wake anyone up when she had nightmares. And she did have them, as often as any ordinary person, and even more so after the Equalist uprising.

She wasn't the only one. Two weeks after their return home, Jinora awoke to find Ikki crying in the bed on the other side of the room. Jinora didn't want to disturb their parents; they were already having trouble sleeping with the new baby waking up in the middle of the night. So Jinora came over to the bed and put her arms around Ikki, the way she had in Oogi's saddle when they left the island.

"Bad dream?" Jinora asked softly.

Ikki nodded through her tears. "Amon captured us, and used chi-blocking so we couldn't bend, and Lin and Mom and Rohan disappeared, and Korra got hurt trying to help us." Her voice broke as she finished.

"It's okay, Ikki," Jinora said, rubbing her sister's back. "The nightmare is over."

"That wasn't a nightmare, Jinora," Ikki said, almost whining. "That _really happened_ to us."

Jinora paused. Ikki was right. These weren't a child's abstract fears and imagination; their nightmares were influenced by their own experiences, what could have happened, and what could possibly happen. She couldn't just sing her sister to sleep like the baby; Ikki, though still very young, was capable of having real anxieties.

"Well—it's not going to happen again," Jinora said firmly. "Dad, Korra, and Lin are making sure of that." Then she smiled. "Remember when the Equalists came to the Island, and we helped Lin fight them?"

"I only did that because you went out first. You were brave," Ikki said. "When we helped Lin fight here at home, I thought I was being brave, too. I thought we could fight them again … but then …" She trailed off, crying again at the memory of their capture.

Jinora was pensive. "I was only brave because I was so scared they would take us away. And I wasn't even able to stop them." Jinora looked away, not able to face her sister. "I failed."

Ikki looked at her. She seemed to be realizing, for the first time, that her older sister wasn't as … perfect as she'd thought. And that had a strange effect on her, including the continuance of her fears.

Jinora got up for a moment, retrieved the rag doll from the corner, and handed it to Ikki. "Listen, Ikki, you don't have to worry. We can fight, and even if we're not enough, we've got Dad and Team Avatar here. They saved us before, and they can do it again—_if_ they ever have to, which they probably won't."

Ikki held the rag doll in both hands. "That's not all I'm afraid of."

"Well, what else are you afraid of then?"

Ikki didn't answer right away. Jinora waited patiently. When Ikki spoke, it sounded like she was making a confession. "I heard Korra tell you that story."

"What story?"

"About the people she fought, and the guy with three ponytails …"

Jinora gaped at her. "You heard that?" Korra had told Jinora the story to pass the time while they traveled to the South Pole. _"You like historical sagas, right? This one is really sad, because it's true. It's about people we know – and someone your grandpa Aang knew."_

Ikki clutched the poor doll against her chest. "Tarrlok and Amon were brothers—like Meelo and Rohan. What if they grow up hating each other?"

Jinora was shocked that her little sister could imagine such a thing. "That could never happen," she said, in a voice that left no room for doubt.

"How do you know?" Usually when someone asked Jinora that question, she answered that she had read it in a book. But this time it meant something different.

"Because … our dad isn't like their dad."

"He taught them waterbending, just like Dad teaches us airbending."

"But for different reasons. We learn airbending because we're the last airbenders." _They were the last known bloodbenders_. "We have to carry on the Air Nomad culture." Jinora tried to fix on something positive, something she was sure of. "Yakone knew Grandpa Aang. Aang and Katara—they left us a legacy of love, where Yakone tried to leave a legacy of hatred. He wanted his sons to be bent on revenge, but ended up making them power-hungry, each in their own way."

Ikki was looking at her with dry but slightly confused eyes. Jinora knew she had to speak simply; Ikki was younger than her, and not as intellectual as her.

"What's your doll's name, again?" Jinora asked.

"I don't remember," Ikki confessed. She sighed, holding up the toy. She had held on to it more as a memento than as an imaginary friend. "Dad's right; worldly possessions are overrated."

That adage brought an involuntary smile to Jinora's face. Then she brightened as an idea occurred to her. "I know what'll cheer you up." She stood and went over to the door. "I'll be right back," she promised. Ikki watched her warily but kept silent, watching her sister leave.

Jinora crept stealthily down the dark hallways. She felt grateful to be an airbender, because it made her light on her feet, so the wooden floors didn't creak under her weight. She had to pass through almost the whole length of the building, from the women's dormitory, past the common areas, and finally to the men's dormitory. She tried to remember the route she had taken when she showed Mako and Bolin their room, the day they moved to the island. Finally she reached what she thought was the correct room, and silently slid the door open.

Sure enough, the two beds were occupied by the bending brothers. Bolin was snoring; maybe that would cover any noise she made. Pabu was curled up on the earthbender's wide stomach. Jinora tiptoed over to him, wrinkled her nose at the puddle of drool on his pillow, and picked up Pabu as quickly as she could. The fire ferret woke up, but Jinora shushed him, cradling him in her arms. Bolin hadn't stirred. Jinora thanked the spirits and backed away from him toward the door.

"Jinora?"

Caught. She cringed, but she knew this wasn't something to be terrified by. She turned slowly to face Mako, who was leaning back on one arm to look at her. "What's up?" he asked in a muted voice.

"Ikki had a nightmare," Jinora whispered. "I thought Pabu might cheer her up. Can we borrow him?"

Mako looked at the little girl. Then he smiled, recognizing that she was an older sibling, just like him. "Sure. He always seemed to do the job for Bolin."

Jinora smiled widely. "Thanks. Good night."

"Sleep well." Mako lay down with a smile on his face, not really caring how Bolin would react if Pabu wasn't in their room the next morning.

Jinora crept back to her room. Ikki was staring expectantly at the sliding door. Jinora slipped in, closed the door with her back to her sister, and then turned to reveal the bundle in her arms.

Ikki gasped, shocked at her sister's feat and delighted at the reward. "Pabu!"

"Shh!" Jinora smiled and then sat down next to her sister again, holding out the small animal. "Pabu'll protect us," she promised, as they stroked the soft fur.

Ikki took Pabu and held him up in the air. "I can't stand it—he's so fluffy!"

"So are sky bison," Jinora pointed out.

"But they're not as small as this! Pabu is—portable!" she exclaimed, remembering the right word. "And he won't fly away like the lemurs."

Jinora got up and went back to her own bed, which was slightly bigger than the other. She didn't protest when Ikki followed her and took Pabu with her under the sheets. The three of them snuggled into the bed. "Good night," Jinora said.

"G'night."

The next morning they awoke to the sound of rocks being unearthed and someone calling out, "Has anyone seen Pabu?"


	13. Belonging

Although the Equalist uprising was over, there was still work to be done.

The very day they returned, Korra restored the bending of the White Lotus guards and the Council members. Soon afterwards she had to work with the city to give bending back to everyone who had lost it to Amon.

In the weeks that followed, Korra had to sit in on several Council meetings, as they discussed how to prevent such widespread anarchy, and how to make the government more fair between benders and non-benders.

Most of her free time was spent training with Tenzin. Now that she had unlocked her airbending, she could learn practical techniques and tricks.

Asami was busy with newfound philanthropic activities, using her inherited fortune to repair the damage her father had helped to inflict on the city. She had also expressed interest in opening an orphanage or a homeless shelter, after having lived in the hobo community for those few days. Bolin was working with her to re-open the Arena for its original purpose, Pro-Bending.

Since the others were busy, Mako sometimes found himself falling to baby-sitting duty, helping Pema take care of the airbending kids and the baby. He didn't mind, really, but he would have preferred being with his friends more of the time. Especially Korra, with whom he had only just established a relationship.

Mako remembered being somewhat annoyed when Korra's time on the task force had cut into their practices. But by now he understood the weight of responsibility she had. He had seen for himself how much Republic City needed her.

He made a point of telling her that he would be there if she felt that she needed him. She nodded in acknowledgment, and apologized for not being with him as much, and thanked him for being there for her anyway.

But he worried about her, sometimes. Not about her safety or her abilities, but about how many commitments she could take. It was a different type of stress than she'd experienced during the uprising, but it was still a form of stress.

* * *

Once night, after dinner, Korra came back to the table and spread out several scrolls of minutes from a meeting she had missed. She remained fairly focused, until a fire ferret leapt onto the table and scurried over to her.

"Hey, Pabu." Korra ran a hand over his furry back. She wasn't surprised to see Mako standing in the doorway, having followed his pet, or perhaps sent him ahead. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Just checking on you." Mako came up and stood behind her. "Are you okay?"

Korra turned her head to look at him. "Sure I'm okay." Why wouldn't she be?

"You're so busy lately. Aren't you tired?"

She smiled a little. "After everything that happened, this is a piece of cake."

Mako picked up one of the papers, studied it for a moment, and then put it back on the desk. Then he tossed his head in the direction of the door. "Come on."

She blinked at him, not understanding. "What?"

"Come on. Let's get out of here."

Korra shook her head automatically. "Mako, I still have work to do …"

"I think Tenzin would agree you need a break." Mako held out his hand to her. Korra looked at it for a moment, wondering where she had seen that gesture before. Then she smiled at him and put her hand in his.

She let him lead her outside, to the sky bison stables. "I asked Tenzin if we could borrow Oogi," Mako informed her, before they climbed up into the saddle.

"Do you know how to fly this animal?" Korra asked.

"Well enough," Mako answered, taking up the reins. "Oogi, yip-yip!" The way he said it, with confidence, indicated that this wasn't the first time he'd said the strange words.

"Who's been teaching you?" Korra asked curiously.

"Jinora," Mako replied. He added, "I needed something to do while you were busy."

Korra had flown over the city before, both in an airship and on a sky bison; but usually she had been too anxious to really enjoy the ride. Now, she liked the feeling of the wind on her face. When she leaned over, she could see the water rushing below them.

"I shouldn't stay out long." Korra rolled her eyes. "If I don't catch up on meetings, the Council members will get impatient, Lin will be annoyed and revert to being all abrasive …" She was half joking, but she stopped when she saw the serious look Mako was giving her.

"You don't have to be the Avatar all the time, you know." He smiled gently at her, the same way he had when they talked at night in the underground shelter. "Tonight, you're just Korra."

Korra looked at him; then a smile lit up her face.

They didn't fly very far, just across the bay, to Avatar Aang Memorial Island. They landed on the roof of the memorial, underneath Aang's statue.

"So, you tell me that I don't have to be the Avatar, and then take me to Aang's Memorial Island?" Korra said, raising her eyebrows at him.

Mako sat down with his back against the wall. "It's away from the city, away from the Air Temple …"

Korra sat down on his right, and nudged him with her elbow. "You wanted to get me alone," she accused slyly.

Mako smiled, resembling his brother for a moment. "Pabu is the chaperone," he said, gesturing to the fire ferret that was crawling into his lap.

"I'm sure Pabu is very responsible," Korra said, stroking the fire ferret's head.

Mako turned to look out at the city. "Plus, there's a great view."

Korra had to agree. From here they could see the Arena, the mountains, and Air Temple Island, as well as the horizon on the ocean. They watched as the sun ducked down, dyeing the sky purple and pink. The city lights came on, making the mainland grow brighter as the sky became darker.

The first time Korra had seen a sunset here, she had witnessed it sadly, knowing Tenzin was about to send her back to the South Pole. But she had stayed, and seen more sunrises and sunsets than she could count.

This one was the best.

"Now I remember why I wanted to come back here. Besides the fact that I'm needed here." Korra leaned her head on Mako's shoulder, looking out at the beautiful city. "This is home. You, the airbenders, Bolin and Asami—you're my family, just as much as my parents and Katara."

Mako smiled, though she couldn't see it, and slid his arm around her waist. Her comment made him thoughtful. "I once said that Bolin's the only family I have left. But now, I can't decide if that's still true. Maybe it's part of being a team, or from living at the Air Temple … but it's not just me and him anymore. It's everyone we've worked with, everyone we care about. And that list has grown—ever since you arrived."

There was a brief pause. Then Korra said, "The other day, I held Rohan for the first time."

Mako glanced at her in surprise. "You hadn't held him before that?" He himself had held the baby a few times while Pema spent time with the other children. Even Bolin and Asami had taken at least one turn playing with Rohan.

"No. I don't know why … I guess just because I've never been around babies much." Korra squinted, trying to remember something. "Maybe I held Jinora or Ikki when the airbenders visited Katara … Anyway, while I was holding Rohan, Ikki came over and started talking to him. She introduced me as the Avatar, who will probably be his baby-sitter, and who's like their surrogate big sister."

Mako smiled at this. "She said that?"

"Yeah." The truth was, Korra had thought of the airbenders as her family, but she hadn't been sure if they considered her a part of their family. Now she knew the children did, and she supposed that Tenzin probably did.

Katara was the only other teacher whom she had formed a real bond with. She really was like a grandmother to Korra; and Tenzin and Pema were like a second set of parents. And now Asami and the boys were part of their lives, too. With all of them living together, Korra didn't have to think of them as separate parts of her life; they were all her family.

"Thank you," Mako said, apropos nothing.

"For what?"

"For joining our team. For inviting us to stay at the Air Temple. You gave us a home, and a family. And your friendship," he added, blushing a little by the time he finished.

"You're welcome." Korra paused. "But you're the one who showed me what family and friends do for each other. So … thank you, too."

She wasn't surprised when Mako's left hand found her right, and he ducked his head to kiss her.

Now, more than ever, she felt like she belonged.

* * *

**Author's Note:** After so much angst in this series, this chapter is meant to wind things down with some happiness. Look for my upcoming _Legend of Korra_ project, a multi-chapter fanfic called "Of Tabloids and Triads".

Do you readers think I should insert a Table of Contents for this story? Would that make it easier to navigate and find the chapters you like? Let me know when you review!

After writing this, I found a DeviantArt piece that seems to fit this scene: "Mako and Korra, sunset in Republic City" by ex0tique


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